With more than 65,000 brands available in virtual stores, almost anything can be found on Tmall. The cross-border version, Tmall Global, is very popular for brands shipping products directly from overseas warehouses within China.
Knowing which products are best sellers is important if you want to know whether your company will thrive if you get into the Chinese e-commerce market.
Clothing and fashion
Clothes are very popular products at Tmall and shoppers can find well-known clothing brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Adidas, and Nike. It has a luxury section where luxury brands have high visibility. Young, sophisticated Chinese consumers are particularly passionate about niche brands that help them to reflect their tastes and lifestyle.
If you want to sell on Tmall, you need to pay close attention to the positioning of your brand. Despite the demand for luxury brands, there is still an opportunity for affordable fashion brands to make it if they position themselves correctly. This is why partnering with the right agency, such as WPIC, will be of great help to you.
Maternity and baby products
Chinese Mothers do not have much confidence in local baby products, such as diapers and formula. They would rather buy such products online from foreign brands.
Three out of four Chinese mothers give their babies formula, which is quite different from what happens in the West. The lifting of the one-child policy in China has also led to the increase in consumption of formula, and the demand is expected to grow.
There is plenty of opportunity in this market and moms will often not put a price on what they feed their children. Imported baby clothes, toys and organic baby product sales are also rising.
Cosmetics and skincare
Foreign cosmetics and skincare products are often perceived as quality products and the demand for them keeps increasing as people have more disposable income. There is a growing interest in well-formulated products that are also environment-friendly.
Toner, cleanser and masks are among the most popular products but there is also a strong demand for face cream, lotions, sunscreens and anti-aging products.
Demand is particularly high in tier-one cities like Shanghai but tier three and four cities are becoming increasingly receptive to foreign brands. There is also more of a trend for males to buying skincare products and this is a trend foreign brands should not neglect.
Electronic products
JingDong specializes in electronic products, whereas Tmall is more focused on electronic accessory sales and secondary electronic products. However, various niche electronic products, such as an electronic cigarette heater, can see sales success. Phone accessories and drones are in high demand.
Vitamins and supplements
With a growing elderly population, the demand for food supplements is increasing in those who want to stay healthy. Health and wellbeing have become more important than ever to both the old and the young.
Sales of vitamins and supplements are booming with a more health-savvy population and popular nutrition products for sale online. There is also an increasing demand for gym and fitness products like protein powders and amino acids. This could grow as the gym industry in China grows.
Household appliances
The demand for household appliances keeps growing as China keeps urbanizing and young people move to the cities to search for jobs. More Chinese own their own homes than ever before and they want smart home appliances.
There is also an increasing demand for energy-efficient appliances as Chinese consumers become more environmentally conscious. They have a huge appetite for high-quality household appliances from trusted sources.